Create a bathroom escape thats showered with luxuries

We've all done the shower shuffle in the morning - the 'hurry up in there, we have to shower too.' Well, thanks to new luxuries the waiting line might get a bit longer, and with good reason.

With new technologies, a bathroom experience shouldn't be rushed, it should enjoyed.

'The traditional shower had a faucet and a shower head and you were good to go. People are now more focused on having the full-shower experience,' said Sue Blatner, Ferguson SuperBath showroom manager in Beaverton. 'People want to have water coming in all directions - from the ceiling, showerhead and body sprays.'

Instead of standing beneath a waterfall, submerge yourself in water while in the shower. Kohler created a brass minimalist look, but with plenty of pressure.

The WaterTile bodysprays and showerheads look like flat tiles flushed to the wall. Turn them on, and the 54-nozzles create soothing hydrotherapy. Situate them at your side, above you or in corners. The sprayface pivots to accommodate everyone's height and shower needs.

Another option - the Water Haven - is easy to install and has quick mobility of body sprays to reach both tall people and children. Instead of scattering the system throughout the shower, this one is installed as one unit. Temperature and volume controls are easily adjusted for each person.

While you're in there, turn on the steam. For self-contained showers with floor to ceiling doors, steam fills the cavity to enhance the shower.

'It's like a facial for your whole body,' said Blatner. 'It's very soothing, relaxing, detoxifying and cleans your skin.'

When leaving the warm shower, grab a pre-heated towel.

Towels can be warmed on towel bars that use either hydronic - heated using the house's hot water system - or electrical energy.

Counter space can also be cumbersome in some bathrooms. Install a mirror medicine cabinet - they look like a piece of art and contain locking safes for valuables, electrical outlets and deep shelving.

'People use these all over. They're also great in a foyer. You could keep your cell phone in there with your keys,' said Blatner.

Sinks can be installed into pieces of furniture to give the bathroom a cozy-small room feeling.

'The advantage of buying a piece made specifically for a bathroom is the wood is appropriate for bathroom dampness,' said Blatner. 'A piece for your dining room won't have the right kind of paint of coating for a damp bathroom.'

The showroom features faucet styles from modern to traditional.

'We recommend that people come into the store and look (when shopping) because there are so many choices,' said Blatner. 'It's not unusual for people to get into the tubs. Some sit on the toilet. You have to see if you fit.'

The Beaverton showroom features a working shower and rows and rows of fixtures, sinks, tubs and toilets. In a working bathroom preview the Hatbox toilet, a design by Kohler to look as sleek as a hat box.

'It's all about the look,' said Blatner. 'And the experience. … Plumbing is something you're going to have for a long time and you use it everyday. It's important that you pick out what you like and what you feel comfortable with.'

Ferguson SuperBath is located at 10185 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy. in Beaverton and can be reached at 503-646-9525.